1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of surgical implements in general, and in particular to a surgical scalpel which is provided with a manually actuated syringe feature.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,656,600; 3,990,453; 4,642,090; 5,088,198; and 5,161,308, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse combined devices used for a variety of tasks.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical device for providing a manually controlled flow of liquid such as distilled water or medicinal fluid to an incision site.
As most surgeons are aware, there are certain instances during surgical procedures wherein it is desirable to introduce liquid into a incision site to either flush the opening of debris or to directly apply a dose of liquified medicine at the incision site, and to prevent the development of surgical wound infections which are considered to be the second most common hospital acquired infections which contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality, as well as excess costs for hospitalized patients.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved hand held surgical implement that combines a syringe or quasi-syringe with a scalpel blade, and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.